Married by forty 8: New York New York
by Fleppy85
Summary: Finally Sara and Sofia made it to New York. But instead of a relaxing holiday with shopping they've an exciting time with the NYPD and meet detective Flack.
1. Chapter 1

**Part 1**

"Start spreadin' the news, I'm leavin' today, I want to be a part of it: New York, New York. These vagabond shoes are longing to stray right through the very heart of it: New York, New York. I want to wake up in a city that doesn't sleeps and find I'm king of the hill, top of the heap."

"Stop that." Sara buried her head under a pillow. Why was Sofia awake? Why was she in such a good mood? Why did she have to sing? Why couldn't she sit somewhere in silence and read the newspaper?

"Grumpy Smurf." Sofia jumped on the bed, sat on Sara and started to tickle her.

"Bitch!" Sara tried to turn but couldn't move her upper body. Being on her belly she was helpless.

"New York, New York!" That was where they were. Finally after a long time of talking about it, they had managed to go to New York. An apartment in Manhattan, upper east side, was theirs for four days. Over one year after Australia this was their first house exchange holiday.

"If you don't go down from me I'll hurt you."

"You can't do anything, Sara Sunshine, you can't move." Sofia laughed, bent down and hugged Sara before she let herself slip next to her friend.

"I could now."

"You won't." Sofia smirked. "I'm so happy that we're here. Finally. The big apple."

"See New York and die."

"I won't die, you'll take care of me. Come on, smile, Grumpy Smurf."

"You're annoying."

"I love you."

"I hate you."

"No you don't. I made some coffee and got us some bagels."

"Why are you awake? It's me who's the one to organize the breakfast."

"I woke up, it was seven so I thought it's time for a shower, breakfast and this way I can surprise you with a lovely breakfast in bed before we start our sightseeing tour. I like to have breakfast in bed."

"How much coffee did you already drink?"

"One mug only."

"Not enough to be on a coffee rush."

"No I'm on a New York rush…a Sara rush…you're my drug. I missed being on holidays with you."

"We went hiking."

"Hiking is great, no doubt but it's not a holiday. I like real holidays with you. And we don't have to drive a few hundred miles a day this time."

"No we have to walk a few miles today."

"It's a bus tour…most of the time we'll sit in a bus and get entertained. Oh and don't plan anything for our last night."

"Why?"

"I planed something and I can't rearrange that. Trust me you'll like it."

"Trust? You?"

"If not your best friend who else do you want to trust?"

"The devil? Oh I forgot, that it is my best friend." Sara pulled Sofia in her arms and kissed her cheek. "Thanks for taking care of breakfast." She got her legs around Sofia so that the blonde couldn't move away. "What time is it?"

"Half past eight."

"We need to hurry, don't we?"

"If you want to be on time at ten, yes, we should have breakfast now."

"And I need my shower."

"Want some company?"

"You had your shower."

"I'd sacrifice myself for you."

"I think I can cope. But thanks." Sara hugged Sofia again and then got up. "I'll be with you in five minutes."

"I'll miss you every second you are away."

"Stay out of the bathroom!"

"What a good idea…" Sofia grinned and laughed when she heard how Sara locked the door. She wouldn't come in the bathroom when Sara was in it. The brunette knew that but she locked to door to tease Sofia. Their favorite hobby: teasing each other.

* * *

"I've chocolate, coke and a few sandwiches…that should be enough for six hours." Sofia checked her backpack again.

"I'm sure we'll have a lunch break, no need to take the whole household with you."

"Better safe than sorry. Open your mouth for a piece of chocolate."

"I had breakfast only…" The rest of the sentence went under in a piece of chocolate Sofia pushed in Sara's mouth. For a short moment the brunette bit slightly on Sofia's finger with a grin and without hurting her.

"Am I that sweet to you that you want to eat me, Sara Sidle?"

"If I want to try you, Sofia Curtis, I wouldn't do that here right on Broadway." In front of a musical, surrounded by hundreds of people…okay these people weren't interested in them, they were rushing their way.

"Not? Where would you take me?"

"I can hear the ambiguousness in your voice."

"Can you? I'm sorry." Sofia smirked.

"Don't make me do something that will make you're really sorry."

"If you try to tell me not to dare you, don't waste your energy. I do dare you." She always dared people who told her not to dare them. That was her problem in high school already. She had dared her teachers often, they had sent her to detention regular. Which had lead to trouble with her parents but Sofia didn't think of changing herself.

"Do you?"

"Oh yes. Come on, old woman, this is the last time to be wild, your youth is almost over. Only two more months and you're old." Sara's fortieth birthday was coming up. Sofia had so many ideas about parties but Sara had made it clear, she didn't want a party. She had three days around her birthday off and wouldn't be in Las Vegas. She didn't mind the age, she minded the party. And she knew if she stayed in Vegas there would be a party. So far she hadn't told anybody where she would go, Sofia was asking her every day but Sara refused to say a word. To dangerous. Tell them now and they'll all be there to have a party. The brunette knew her best friend had also three days off, if Sofia behaved herself Sara would take her with her.

"I think I'll book another room for tonight. I don't think I want to spend any more time with you."

"You do." Sofia got Sara's arm and pulled her towards the tour bus at the corner. There was their bus, time to get a good seat.

"Hey we're Sara and Sofia." She handed the driver their tickets.

"Welcome aboard, ladies. Take a seat if you like, we'll start in ten minutes."

"He is seriously cute." Sofia whispered when she pulled Sara in the seat two rows after the driver.

"I thought you would think so. Don't tell me you need to get a man for tonight?"

"No, I've got you, you can satisfied me."

"Uh-huh with chocolate mud cake."

"See you know exactly what I need." Sofia observed the tour guide. He was in his late twenty, had short black hair and a gray eyes. And too tall for his jeans jacket. Whenever he bent over a bit it slipped up and showed a piece of a tattoo on his back.

"Maybe him as a dessert."

"Pick him or me."

"I can have you as dessert?" Sofia raised an eyebrow.

"You can have him as dessert or me as your evening company."

"I'd never choose somebody else when I can have you. Not even Lady Liberty."

"She's stone cold."

"Yeah I thought so. We'll see her. I hope we can take nice pictures and I want one of Manhattan in the sunset. Do you go shopping with me? I mean after this tour and after the sunset in Manhattan. I want to go shopping in the dark, want to watch people rushing around while we sit somewhere have something nice to eat, drink a glass of wine and take the subway back to the apartment. Maybe we can sit somewhere at the Rockefeller Center."

"Aren't you the one who asks for a club tour? You want to replace that with a boring dinner? No hitting the clubs?"

"I think we'll be tired after this tour, we can hit the clubs tomorrow after we had a sleep in and had some walking tours in the Central Park."

"Sounds like a plan…"

"Where are you ladies from?" The tour guide asked.

"Vegas" Sofia smiled wide. If she could get him to go clubbing with them?

"Sin City. You're here for some culture."

"We've culture too, colorful culture."

"Yeah but not that old like New York. And you tried to build our Lady Liberty."

"We have her too, yes. With a roller coaster, can you top that?"

"We've the original Lady Liberty."

"And we're not allowed to climb her."

"No."

"Shame."

"You can take pictures from the Staten Island Ferry, that's really nice. And you'll have some magnificent views on Manhattan from there too."

"Sounds good. What's our first stop?"

"We'll stop in front of the Dakota, the place where John Lennon used to live and Yoko Ono still lives. After that we'll have a little stop in the Central Park, there's a John Lennon Memorial – the Imagine Mosaic - I'll show you."

"No long walks through the park?"

"Not with this tour. If you want a Central Park tour I can give you a flyer of one of our other tours. It's a full day walking tour through the Central Park."

"A full day of walking? No thank you, I'm not on a hiking trip. I think I take a bike or a horse."

"A carriage ride? More expensive but very nice. And don't forget the zoo."

"Of course not. We'll have a complete day for Central Park." She would be happy about the half an hour in the carriage. It was good she had taken her hiking shoes with her, she would need them in Central Park.

"You'll need it. Do you like ice cream?"

"Are you kidding me? I love it."

"There's a little shop between 86th and 87th street, just where the water reservoir begins, that sells great ice cream. And when you ask for some chocolate sauce and cream your ice cream will drown in it."

"We'll have a stop there!" That was no question from Sofia to Sara, it was an order.

"That's fine with me." Ice cream, sitting in the sun, looking on water, that was a nice picture and perfect for a stop between lunch and dinner. She wanted to have a picnic in the park anyway. An ice cream picnic was even better than self made sandwiches.


	2. Chapter 2

"The Empire State Building looks much better in the movie. Somehow I expected a big shiny red heart." Sofia said when they were back in the bus. They had a little stop at the Rockefeller Center and a short walk from there a view of the Empire State Building hadn't been as exciting as she had thought it might be.  
"You mean you wanted a 'Sleepless in Seattle' love window view?" Sara grinned.  
"Yes."  
"And Tom Hanks?"  
"He's kind of cute in that movie, yes. Did you like it?"  
"I was aware it wouldn't look like in the movie so I'm not that disappointed. It's a little bit sad that there's no time to go in it and go up the platform but we can do that alone. We've three more days, enough time to get up and feel like Meg Ryan. I mean we both know how it is to wait for Mister Right."  
"Yeah...I only met his cousin a few times, Mister Always Right."  
"That's nothing for a smug person."  
"Or a grumpy one." Sofia countered.  
"That's why we're single."  
"Not our fault. The men are just too stupid to realize what they miss out."  
"Possible."  
"Okay ladies and gentlemen." The tour guide called out loud. "We're heading down to the harbor. You'll have an hour down there for lunch and walking around after that we'll go straight to the Staten Island Ferry to see Lady Liberty. I'm sure you're all excited to see her. At the harbor you can have of course a lot of fish but they have all other kinds of food there too. To left hand side is the dock, to the right hand side is a mall, everywhere are sea-gulls, so no matter where you'll eat, you'll have company."  
"What would you like to eat?" Sara asked.  
"A real New Yorker fish burger. You?"  
"I take a salad with cheese and eggs. Maybe a little chocolate ice cream as dessert."  
"You? Chocolate ice cream? Are you feeling alright?"  
"Yes." Sara laughed. "I do like chocolate, you know that. Only because I try not to live on it like you do, it doesn't mean I don't touch it."  
"And we're at a harbor. When you're at a harbor you have to eat ice cream. It belongs to harbor, beach, mall, sunshine..."  
"Why don't you name the one time in your life when you don't want ice cream?"  
"Okay..." Sofia stopped and thought. A time when she didn't want ice cream? Winter? No ice cream with hot raspberry sauce was too good. Rain? No, a huge bowl of ice cream with cream and chocolate sauce and cookies was perfect to lighten up the mood on a rainy day. Diet? First of all she didn't do diets and if she'd do that she'd buy diet ice cream.  
"I can't recall a time I don't want ice cream."  
"Winter? Rain? Early mornings?"  
"All times for ice cream."  
"Sex."  
"Sex and ice cream is a wonderful combination...I had some... this is not the right place to tell you that." She grinned looking to the older couple behind them. Luckily they were too busy looking out of the window and pointing at buildings.  
"I don't want to hear these stories. I know you're wild and love to combine pleasures."  
"I'm not wild I'm open-minded. And yes if something is good alone and you add something other good to it, it must be very good together. A bad thing can make something good not that good anymore but two good things are great together."  
"And sometimes ice cream is the only highlight."  
"I don't add it to something that's bad. Ice cream should always be added to something good...okay it's a good rescue...it's simply good and..."  
"You'll get your ice cream too, Sofia."  
"Thanks." The blonde smiled.  
"Don't forget to buy the postcard for your mother."  
"Me? I'd never forget her. Don't you forget the postcard for your little friend Greg."  
"He'll get one with Lady Liberty, I promised him that."  
"If he can't have you he'll have Lady Liberty." Sofia laughed.  
"I'm sure Lady Liberty won't take his little crush away."  
"No, she won't. But having Greg as an admire is better than anybody else."  
"He isn't an admire, he's a friend. He's not seriously trying to hit on me, we're way past over that. That was long before you came to our shift when he was trying to hit on me. But not like many other guys he understands a 'no' and I think we've a really good friendship. I can't imagine how the work would be without him."  
"That's almost a declaration of love."  
"Almost."  
"He'd understand it."  
"Of course he would. That's why he's a very good friend."

* * *

"Do I need to hold your hand when we're on the ferry?" Sara asked with a smirk.

"Huh?"

"Like in a plain…you know when million tons of steel can't fly why should they swim?"

"For a friend you are really mean." Sofia pouted. Only because she was scared…a little bit uncomfortable when a plane took off, it didn't mean she was scared on a ferry.

"Am I?"

"Yes. Or are you looking for an excuse to hold my hand?"

"Do I need an excuse?"

"No. You can hold it whenever you like, darling."

"Thanks love." Sara opened the door for Sofia. They were about to enter the building to the Staten Island ferry.

"Okay we need to stay close together." The tour guide said. "They close the door when the ferry is full. You need to go first and I'll make sure the whole group is on the ferry. We all go straight through the ferry to the back, you get the best pictures from the back. The escalator is on the left, please come to the stairs if you use them. Form there we'll go together."

"Stairs or escalator?" Sofia asked.

"Stairs. We're lazy enough, sitting around the whole time." With some others they walked up the stairs and waited for the group members who took the escalator.

"Wow, there are a lot of people." Sofia had no idea how big the ferry was but there were a lot of people waiting in front of the doors. They wouldn't have a lot of space.

"Okay, now that we're all together…"

"There's police coming in." A tourist from the Switzerland pointed to the entrance. Four police officers entered the building, running up the stairs.

"Maybe pickpocket. Okay, we need to stay close together…"

"Ladies and gentleman please leave the building." Sara turned around. There was a voice coming from out of loudspeaker somewhere.

"Please leave the building."

"More police." More and more officers came in the building and the people in front of the doors got more and more excited.

"It looks like there're some problems. We should leave. Please follow me." The tour guide started to walk down the stairs.

"Can you see something?" Sara asked Sofia.

"No."

"They wouldn't make this fuzz about a pickpocket."

"No usually not." Sofia took another look up. A lot of people were leaving the building, the loudspeaker repeated the order to leave but a lot of people also stayed.

"There's a helicopter." Another one of their group pointed to the sky.

"And more cops." From everywhere cops were running towards the building.

"We need to go further away." The tour guide ordered. He guided them over the street a hundred yards away. From there they could still see the building, saw people in it, on a balcony and more police. On bikes, on horses and a lot of cars.

"I'll go and ask the police what happened."

"Yeah as if they would talk to him." Sofia shook her head. Wrong policy.

"I wonder what happened."

"So do I. Come on." She wasn't a lieutenant for nothing. Instead of walking to the next officer like her tour guide did and trying to make him talk, she found an ordinary black BMW with the police flash light in front of the window. The tall man who got out of it, complaining about the people that made him stop, was a detective. She could recognize them everywhere.

"Detective?" He stopped and looked at her.

"Sorry ma'am please step back, it's for your own safety…"

"Lieutenant Curtis LVPD, Sara Sidle with the crime lap, can we help out?"

"Detective Flack. Did you see something, lieutenant?"

"Only way too many people in that building…detective Flack?"

"Yes?"

"Are you the detective I worked with almost three years ago? We were trying to get slave trader in Las Vegas and they had an office here…immigration help…" The case she met Keane first. What was the name of the guys…they shot her, Sara's vest had rescued her…

"Albaraz." Sara helped her out remembering the case.

"Yes…you're detective Curtis?"

"I was, now it's lieutenant. Yes, Miss Sidle and me worked the case."

"You got the guys but they got you too."

"Yeah but I had a vest they didn't have anything."

"You got some work from my desk, thanks. What are you doing here?"

"We're on holidays, trying to get on the ferry. It seems like we won't."

"Not at the moment. I can't tell you what happened, there's some trouble. I need to go in. Have a good time in New York and come along tomorrow if you like. I think I owe you a beer for Albaraz."

"Sounds good to me. Good luck."

"Thanks."

"You picked the only detective you ever worked with." Sara laughed.

"Yeah. I'm talented. He's…"

"Cute." Sara fulfilled Sofia's sentence and rolled her eyes. Of course he was.

"Yes."

"It's always the same with you." Not that Sara wouldn't agree in this case. The invitation for the beer was something they should take.

"I can't help it I see cute guys when they're around."

"You don't look for something else. You'll go straight up to Lady Liberty and ask her where Mister Liberty is and if she has a son around your age."

"The son of Lady Liberty…a star…really nice…don't get ridiculous Sara." Sofia stopped herself from thinking about Sara's idea.

Their tour guide came back the same time they came back.

"I couldn't get any information but I think we need to wait."

"With all these police we'll wait a few hours." Sofia said. "I talked to a detective, he couldn't tell me what had happened but being a lieutenant I can tell you, with all these officers around, we'll have to wait two or three hours."

"In that case I'll call the bus driver and we'll go on." He got his cell phone out to order the bus back for their pick-up.

"Lady Liberty." Sara sighed. She couldn't be in New York without seeing Lady Liberty. It wasn't a New York trip without her.

"We'll come back after the tour and make the trip with the ferry alone. You'll see the Lady, I promise." Sofia smiled at Sara. They had three more days, there was enough time to see the most famous thing in New York. She felt only sorry for the people who were here for one day and had to leave in the evening or early the next morning.

* * *

After the tour was over they got the description of the guide how to get back to the Staten Island ferry. They had no idea if the area was still closed but they wanted to try their luck. If it was closed they'd look for a nice restaurant and watch the sunset from there.

"Looks like it's okay to me." Sara said when they came out of the subway.

"Yeah, people going in and out, no police." They entered the building. The doors to the ferry were open this time and only a few people were standing in front of them. Most people seemed to be on board. They made their way to the upper deck. From here they saw a part of the south harbor.

"BMW." Sara said.

"Huh?" Where was a car?

"Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg Bridge. BMW. Didn't you listen to our guide? He told us how to remember which bridge comes first."

"Oh I must have been busy with something else." She pushed Sara in front of the bridges and took a photo.

"I can see the Lady over there." She tried to zoom so that Lady Liberty was bigger on her photo. The sun was over the statue and a few little clouds were around, made the photo more interesting. The sky was slightly reddish.

"With this light she's only a dark shadow but the background is great."

"We'll have better light when we come across her."

"Yeah it's great for the buildings here. They look bright and clean and the old brick buildings are perfect for the sunset."

"They fit perfectly together." The ferry started to leave the harbor. That way Sofia had a better chance to get more buildings on the photos and the angle was different now. No matter if they had a few hundred photos of this trip, they could use the nicest one for their holiday collage they wanted to make.

"Look there's the Empire State Building. When we can see it from here we'll see the harbor from the observation deck too."

"You really look forward to be there, don't you?" Sofia smiled.

"Yes. I want to be Meg Ryan."

"You're not blond."

"That's a common problem." The investigator smirked.

"You little bitch." Sofia got close to Sara. "One more comment like that and I'll push you in the water."

"Do that. The police is already there." Sara moved her head to the left from where a police boat was coming.

"They have police everywhere. If they stop us now I'll order some dinner downstairs and have my sunset dinner with you here."

"On a cold bench, in the wind, sea-gulls trying to attack and steal the food, yes I want dinner that way."

"Don't be cynical when I try to give you a good time."

"You do that by simply being here." Sara pulled Sofia in her arms so that they both could see the skyline of Manhattan and kept each other warm. The wind was colder than they had expected but going inside would spoil the fun and the photos.

"Really?"

"Yes. And tomorrow it's my time to get your some breakfast in bed."

"Do I get you too?" Sofia teased.

"You don't want me the whole night? Only for breakfast?" Sara could play this game too. It wasn't like Sofia was the only one who could flirt uninhibited. The people around didn't bother Sara, she didn't care what they might think. If Sofia and she wanted to play, she was up for a little game.

"No, the whole night." Sofia snuggled in Sara's arms. They were on holidays, no need to be a second apart. She always needed to be close to Sara, needed to see her a lot, it increased even more when they were on holidays. The blonde had no idea why she needed the brunette to around that much, but she did.

* * *

Note of author: I'm working on a Sara/Sofia romance and and Sara/Greg Sofia/OC story. Anybody interested in being the beta for one or both?


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 2**

"This is what I call holidays." Sara put her empty coffee mug away and let herself drop back in the pillows. Breakfast in bed, watching some senseless TV and no hurry to get up.

"Yes, it's perfect." Sofia closed her eyes. She had eaten too much but hell, they were on holidays, nobody counts calories then. She planed already a second breakfast at Dunkin' Donuts later.

"We should treat ourselves more often."

"Yes we should. We should move together."

"Huh?"

"We're coming close to your birthday, a few months later I'll be old too that means we'll get married and will move together – if I can't get detective Flack to move to Vegas and marry me. Wait a minute, a detective? For me as a lieutenant…he's cute …he had to respect me even more because of my rank…very cute…I might get him to become a lieutenant too…"

"Sofia, you should make up your mind, you want to marry every week a new guy." Sara laughed. According to Sofia the world was full with cute men.

"No that's not true. I'd like to have them in my life but the only one I want to marry is you. At least at the moment and a cute guy won't change that. I need to be a relationship to marry somebody."

"We're not in a relationship."

"Of course we are. Or what do you call our friendship?"

"The best thing that ever happened to me."

"Oh Sara." Sofia hugged her friend, pulled her in her arms and kissed her. Her Grumpy Smurf was so lovely.

"I love you." Great, now she was crying. Sofia tried to wipe away a tear without letting Sara see that she was crying. But that was the nicest thing Sara ever said to her.

"Ditto. No need to cry."

"Just realized again how important you're to me. I should keep my feelings under control, I'm a lieutenant."

"Yes you are. The problem for the lieutenant is, being my friend is more important for you."

"It is. No need to deny it. If it would be the other way around I wouldn't be a good friend."

"Not really."

"I told you that already a few times, you are more important to me than my job. I think if you get a great job offer from somewhere else and want to take it, I'd come with you. Being without you in Vegas wouldn't feel good, Vegas isn't complete without you."

Sara kissed Sofia's cheek and snuggled in her arms. Her best friend. It was good to hear these things even if she knew them.

"I wouldn't take a job offer without you coming with me to wherever. I'm not a social type but leaving the most important person in my life for a job is stupid. That means if you want to go to New York to get Detective Cute I'll come with you and throw the rice on your wedding."

"A beer is enough for the beginning. I want to call him later and ask him if he wants to meet for that beer today. Shall we walk through the Central Park and have a beer with Flack later when he finished work?"

"Yeah. If a CSI is welcome at a cop meeting."

"My CSI is welcome wherever I am. Otherwise I won't go there."

"We're two of a kind." Sara laughed and placed her head on Sofia's shoulder. "Carriage, walk, picnic lunch, walk, ice cream, walk, subway to detective Flack and a beer or two with him?"

"Sounds like a good plan. Especially all the food you involved, very nice. I might feed you with ice cream while you lay in the grass, watch the blue sky and enjoy the warm sunshine in your face."

"Sounds like a good plan too." Sara hugged Sofia again and got up. "Time to dress up for the park. Come on, hide your long, stunning legs in a jeans before I've to use your gun to get the guys away from you. You can't betray detective Flack."

"You think my legs are long and stunning?"

"No they're endless and sexy. Move it, now!" She threw Sofia's jeans at the blonde and laughed. If the lieutenant wanted compliments she had to move and leave the bed.

* * *

"One point three two square miles. Do we want to walk the two and a half miles from south to north or are we fine with half a mile from east to west?" Sara asked when they arrived at the south end of the park on 59th Street.

"I'd say we walk to a carriage place, let the horses do the walk and after that we'll go to the ice cream shop. With a little detour through the Metropolitan Museum Of Art."

"How comes you want to see a museum?"

"The ice cream Flack talked about is in that area. After a museum we deserve ice cream. There's a little lake, we can sit there and enjoy the sunshine."

"Sounds good to me. Anything special you want to see between here and the museum? Or shall I say between here and the ice cream?"

Sofia chuckled. That was a better way of saying what she wanted. She wasn't that interested in the museum but the ice cream was important.

"The Pond. It's a great place for photos."

"True. I've an address of a carriage not too far away…Sofia?"

"Mhm?"

"If the horses don't look healthy…"

"We won't do it if the horses look ill or not well treated." Sofia tool Sara's hand. "We won't support this when we feel like we support somebody who doesn't treat their animals good. We'll check the horses and take this ride if everything looks alright."

"Thanks."

"It's a nice thing to sit in a carriage and have the horse taken us through the park, but the health of the horse is more important. No question there." Sofia knew how important the health and well-being of animals was for Sara. And there had been a few negative press articles in the newspapers about the Central Park stables.

"Thanks."

"Hey, we won't support anything we don't like. We're independent women." Sofia blinked at Sara and got her arm around the brunette.

"We are. There they are, what do you think?"

"Let's go and have a closer look. I don't know much about horses but if we see anything we don't like we'll go to somebody else or walk."

"That means a lot when you say we'll walk."

"I'm not that lazy, I go running every day."

"Yeah and the gym otherwise you'd weight around five hundred pounds with all the chocolate you eat."

"And you don't love me when I'm five hundred pounds?"

"I'd love you but I'm not sure you'll be a lieutenant anymore because there's no unit to chase snails. Or turtles."

"Your love is more important. The idea to stop running and working out and replace that with eating chocolate is very tempting. Unfortunately I won't look stunning anymore with five hundred pounds. My eyes will be still amazing ice blue, but my legs won't be stunning long anymore…long yes, but long and…well probably as wide as long. Lieutenant Load."

"It is amazing how you can still talk yourself beautiful even if everybody else would say you're fat."

"Not fat, more to love."

"Like I said. I like the brown horse with the four white…it locks like socks."

"You like it, I'll get it for you." Sofia grinned.

"She's spoiling me, she must have something in mind." Sara mumbled and followed her friend. Whatever Sofia had in mind, Sara was sure she'd find out soon.

* * *

"I am going to a cop bar. I have never been to a cop bar." Sara shook her head in disbelieve. She was on holidays and was about to spend an evening in a cop bar. Conversations about violence, death, murder, lawyer, judges and whatever was on a cop's mind.

"You're not a cop there's no reason for you to go to a cop bar usually."

"I am allowed to sit on the same table like you do or do I have to go to the far back, the table nobody wants to sit on, the place you cops send everybody who isn't a cop?"

"First of all it's not a cop bar and second I won't let you sit anywhere than next to me."

"Am I worth that? Sitting on the same table like a lieutenant."

"You say something stupid like that again I'll restrain you and let you bring downtown. You are more worth than a captain."

"I am?"

"Don't dare me to do what I just said."

"Sorry." Sara smiled. "There is the bar."

"We're early." Sofia opened the door for Sara. As soon as they were inside Sara took a look around. No, definitely not a cop bar. The guest were all ages, all shapes and it sounded like from all over the world.

"Looks good."

"Yes, cozy. And I can see at least a dozen different kinds of beer. Which one would you like to have?"

"An Australian beer. In memory of our trip last year."

"A challenge? Alright I'll try my best. Don't run away, don't talk to stranger and don't forget me."

"You're silly."

Sofia grinned. Yes she was silly and she enjoyed it.

Sara sat on a stool and looked out of the window. New York's street were busy, even after seven p.m. and far away from the Broadway. Not like Vegas where the whole life was on one or two streets, here most streets were filled with people. Tourists wandering around, looking for interesting buildings, working people cleaning and maintaining the streets and sidewalks, business man in suits.

"Got a Fosters for you."

"Wow, thanks."

"No worries, mate." Sofia giggled. "Oh and I need to look into your eyes and hold your hand every now and then."

"Why is that?"

"There's guy at the bar who wanted to hit on me. I told him we're a couple."

"Great, five beer later he'll start to fight me to get you."

"He comes close to you, he tries to touch you, I'll kick his ass. Nobody touches my CSI."

"You're my bodyguard again?"

"I think I told you a few times before I'd guard every inch of your body if you want."

"Are you hitting on me, Sofia?"

"Sounds like, doesn't it?"

"Yes."

"You mind?"

"No, I prefer you than a drunken bastard."

"Good. Want a kiss?"

"You know, Blondie, you should be careful what you offer. One day somebody might take you serious and you'll have a problem then. Just imagine I want this kiss, you kiss me and detective Flack comes is. You can forget your romance with him."

"Right. I need to wait to hit on you until we're back in our apartment. Sharing a bed with you my chances should be better there too."

"You're ridiculous."

"I'm yours."

"Sure." Sara rolled her eyes. "There's your detective."

"He looks sexy in his suit…how old do you think he is?"

"Too young for you."

"I hate you!" Sofia showed her teeth. That was the worst answer Sara could give her and the brunette knew that.

With a bottle of beer detective Flack came to their table and sat next to Sofia. "Lieutenant Curtis, Miss Sidle."

"Detective Flack, we're glad you could make it."

"There can't be an emergency every day. We're not in Vegas here."

"We don't have emergencies every day; every second maybe." Sara grinned. "At least it feels like when I have a look at my overtime."

"We don't have fifty thousand cops like New York."

"It looks like you don't need them, you can solve our crimes too."

"You can solve one of our cases the next time. I'm sure some of our criminal are here active too."

"I guess so. Any names? Anybody I need to have an eye on?"

"Not that I can recall one right now. I'll let you know."

"And you got a higher rank since the Albaraz case."

"Yes my boss wanted me to make lieutenant…and somebody else too." Sofia smiled at Sara.

"You didn't want to become a lieutenant?"

"I did but they forced me into it. Well I'm glad they did I want to make captain ASAP."

"Less field days."

"I like the field day."

"But you didn't want to be a detective anymore."

"The pay is much better." Sofia laughed. She knew detective Flack knew she was joking. There was nothing like good pay in the law enforcement; not until you weren't a lawyer for the mob or important business people.

"What was the fuss at the Staten Island Ferry yesterday?"

"Some jerks had attacked an officer. He told them they couldn't go on the ferry anymore, they didn't listen and at the end we had dozen officer and civilians in hospital and two dozen people in custody."

"How long did you close the terminal?"

"Around two hours."

"Wow, perfect timing, we were back there three hours later to see Lady Liberty."

"Did you take some good photos?"

"Yes. I think we could decorate a whole apartment with all the photos we took so far."

"Or both of our apartments." Sara chuckled. Almost a thousand photos in two days, that was a new record. "Do you want another beer?"

"Sure. Miller please."

"Surprise me." Sofia smiled.

"American or international?"

"International."

"Alright." Sara left them alone. Cops in cops conversations, she was sure when she was back they had another cop topic. Were CSI people the same? Well, she knew almost only people who worked as a CSI or in a CSI lab, with them she talked about cases, forensic…probably it was nothing special that people talked about their job.

"A Miller for the detective and a Veltins for the lieutenant."

"Thanks civilian."

"CSI."

"You need a rank, Sara."

"Acting supervisor?"

"For a start."

"Maybe one day. The higher the rank the more paper work and politics you have to deal with."

"True."

"The pain in the ass in every job." Flack said.

"Yeah it's…" It took them less than a second to hear the shoots and the break of glass. Instinctively Sofia pulled Sara down and covered her with her own body.

They didn't move until the shooting was over.

"Are you alright?" Sofia got some broken glass from Sara.

"Yes, I'm fine. You?"

"Fine." She got up. Flack was at the door, he had respond the fire. Somewhere somebody cried. There were groans of pain people were talking in panic.

"Somebody call an ambulance!"

"Somebody call the police!"

"Stay away from the window in case they come back." Sofia said to Sara. Usually shooters don't come back but better safe than sorry. She wanted her friend out of the line of fire.

"I'll look if I can help, somebody seems to be injured."

"Alright." Sofia got to Flack, who was on the phone to call for back-up.

"Are you alright?"

"Sara and me, yes but somebody is injured."

"I called an ambulance and back-up. Did you see something?"

"Nothing. I heard the shoots and got down."

"There were at least two shooter. In a black Sedan."

"We've got a victim down here." Sara called from the back. "Get the ambulance. Fast! Nine millimeter in the lower stomach, possible appendix. She loses too much blood, I need something to stop the bleeding."

Sofia bent over the bar and got a towel, threw it to Sara who tried to stop the bleeding.

"Get the people in the back and don't let them destroy the evidence, detective."

"You've a room in the back?" Sofia asked the bartender. He was pale and just nodded. Slowly he moved to the back.

"Follow the bartender, we need you to stay calm and not to touch anything. This is a crime scene. Please stay in the room until an officer will talk to you." She made sure everybody went into the room, only the woman who got hit by a bullet and her boyfriend, husband or whatever he was, stayed. He talked to her, tried to calm her, to encourage her.

Sara could hear the ambulance coming. She had pressed the towel on the wound, tried to feel the pulse and got the man to put his jacket under the woman's head.

Guided by Sofia the paramedics arrived and Sara stepped back. Blood was on her hands and her shirt.

"Wash your hands." Sofia ordered and pushed Sara towards the sink. After the brunette had washed her hands the blonde took a closer look at them.

"What are you doing?"

"No wounds, good. First aid without gloves is dangerous, Sara. If you had any wounds I'd send you to hospital, HIV test. But there's no wound, you're fine."

"You don't know…"

"Exactly, you don't know. I know it's kind of overreacting but I won't risk anything when it comes to you. Nothing."

"That's why you pulled me down and covered me with your body? Risking a bullet."

"It's my job to keep my CSI safe. Protect the CSI."

"As usual you did a good job."

"I hope so." Sofia took Sara's hand and pulled her with her to Flack. There was no way she'd leave her friend anywhere. She wanted Sara close by.


	4. Chapter 4

"You know, I wonder if we can have ordinary holidays one day. The kind of holidays other people have. Sleeping in, sightseeing, dinner, sunset walk, end. Why do we end up all the time in any kind of crime?" Sara complained. She and Sofia were at the police station, waiting for Flack to talk to them. Sara hadn't touched her cup of coffee and was walking around the whole time. Sofia could see how shaken her friend was and wanted nothing more than take her in her arms, calm her down and take her home. That wasn't possible at the moment, Sofia knew that.

"The poisoned woman in Honolulu, the guy in Australia you caught at the beach even when we go to advanced training in L.A. we end up in a case. Is that a kind of curse? Aren't we allowed to have a good time? This time it looks like we reached the top of the iceberg. Our sightseeing tour was almost cancelled or we couldn't see the most important thing of New York, we want to have a beer with a college and somebody tries to kill us. I'm sick of this, Sofia, I really am. I want nothing more than some quiet time and not a crime after the other. It's a damn holiday and not a trip for work experience in another city."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, you didn't tell the people to make a mess so we couldn't take the Staten Island Ferry in the first place, you didn't tell these guys to shoot at us."

"I wanted to go to New York."

"So did I."

"I organized the apartment, booked the sightseeing tour and talked to Flack. Everything that ruined your day was started by me."

"Our apartment doesn't ruin anything and it's not your fault." Finally Sara stopped walking around and sat next to Sofia, took the blondes hands. "You're the only good thing about this trip so far."

"I want you to be happy."

"It's the shock, give me some time. I'm not a brave detective, I'm not used that somebody tries to kill me."

"Lieutenant." Sofia grumbled. "Or was only Flack brave? Right, I was on the ground like you and not shooting."

"You saved me, protected your CSI. You did exactly what you are suppose to do." Sara smiled a bit.

"Can't let anything happen to my CSI. I love that bitchy chick."

"Don't get yourself in trouble, officer."

"Talking about getting in trouble…" Sofia furrowed her brows but couldn't say more because the door was opened.

"The two of are you are alright?" Flack asked

"Yeah, nothing hit us." Sofia let her hand in Sara's hand.

"How is the woman?" Sara wanted to know.

"She's in surgery. You saved her life, she lost a lot of blood."

"We won't know if I saved her life until she's out of surgery and the doctors say she'll be fine."

"Without your help she'd be dead already."

"I always say the CSIs are the heroes." Sofia smirked. "Anything on the shooters?"

"No. We've our crime scene unit out, they might tell us more."

"Does that happen often to you? You go out for a drink and get almost killed?"

"That happened once before, yes. Brought one of our CSU men in a temporary wheelchair. It was case related."

"And this one?"

"I don't have a hot case, not as hot as somebody would try to kill me. As far as I know there was no other cop in the bar, I guess you don't have enemies that follows you to New York and tries to shoot you."

"Not that I know of it."

"You know the drill I need to ask you again if you saw anything when we were in the pub? Anything that can lead us to the shooter?"

"I heard the shoots and got down." Sofia sighed. "Not the best a cop can do."

"Nonsense." Sara disagreed. "You got me down, you saved me. Exactly what a cop is suppose to do. I had no idea what was going on until I was down and the broken glass fell on me. I never saw anything. What I can tell you from the scene is that they shot with nine millimeter, there was a bullet in the bar, a little higher than a yard. Consistent with a Sedan, you sit around that high in it and – I mean I can't swear on it without real checking – but the bullet looked like it entered the wood straight…"

"Having the arm on the car, not waving around the gun. You think they aimed?" Sofia fulfilled Sara's thoughts.

"The question goes back to the police: do you think the car was slow enough to aim? And if they did aim, did they hit the person they wanted to hit?"

"We checked the vic, so far nothing suspicious. My colleagues are about to check all the other people in the bar, especially the one around the woman. Some with petty crimes were in, nothing I'd say you get killed for but people kill for less than a dollar."

"True. I'm sorry this ended up in a case and not a nice evening with a few beer."

"Not your fault."

"Are you really okay? You didn't get checked by a doctor."

"We're fine." Sara said. "No need to worry."

"You're covered in blood."

"Not mine."

"I know. Send the bill of the dry cleaner to me."

"I think I'll toss it. We're in New York, one of the finest shopping places in the world. No need to fight for an old shirt when there are millions of new ones around."

"In that case send me the bill of the new shirt."

"Oh, we're going shopping tomorrow." Sofia grinned. "NYPD pays."

"For my shirt, not for your suits you'll see and buy. They can't afford that." Sara grinned and moved away so Sofia couldn't pinch her. She knew the blonde wanted to buy some new suits and she knew, that would be a very expensive shopping tour. Sofia didn't like cheap stuff, she always fell in love with the real expensive suits.

"If you're not only a CSI you need to look after yourself."

"Only a CSI?" Sara raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, almost a civilian."

"I know some of my CSU guys would give you some trouble for that." Flack grinned.

"She used to be a CSI, she knows she's lying. And she wore these monkey suits already as a CSI, probably to show she's something better. Smug and arrogant are the nicest things you can say about lieutenant Curtis' character."

"Ouch. Don't let this get into a cat fight."

"We won't, you can arrest the CSI for offending a lieutenant."

"I don't think you really want that."

"I don't think that's possible." Sara leant back. "Can we help you with the investigation? Do you need us to sign something? Besides our statement."

"No I think we're fine. Want a ride home? A black and white can bring you. Where's your apartment?"

"Upper east side."

"Not too bad."

"That's why we took it."

"I'll get them to bring you home. I've your cell phone numbers in case we need something. How long will you stay?"

"Two more nights. Do we have to call our bosses and tell them we can't come home because of an ongoing police investi-gation?"

"I don't think that's necessary. Sorry."

"Bugger." Sofia laughed. That could have been the perfect excuse for a few more days in New York, in a nice hotel room, paid by the NYPD. It was worth a try.


	5. Chapter 5

**Part 3**

Sofia woke up being in Sara's arms. The sunlight was trying to get into their room but so far the curtains were too thick. They went to bed after they came back from the police station yesterday, both were tired and needed their brains to relax. Sofia wasn't sure how much Sara's brain had relaxed, the brunette had no obvious nightmares she suffered from, not that Sofia had heard them. She had seen and heard some very bad nightmares and had woken up Sara a few times to get her out of her dreams.

For herself she had seen the pictures of the shooting a few more times. How she had realized somebody was shooting at them, how she pulled Sara down and covered her, hoping she wasn't too slow. How she realized that the brunette was alright, that she wasn't hurt and nothing had happened to them. It was not the first time that somebody shot at Sofia but the first time somebody shoot at her when she was off duty and wanted to have a few drinks.

"Do you want me to get up and make breakfast?" Sara asked out of the blue. She had felt that Sofia was awake.

"No." Sofia turned, staying in Sara's arms. "No, don't leave. Please."

"Are you alright?"

"Yes. I just don't feel like getting up. What are our plans for today?"

"What would you like to do?"

"Frankly? Not much. I know here are so many things to do but I don't feel like taking a ferry to New Jersey or visiting a crowded tourist attraction. Do you think we can have a quiet day? Get a box of donuts, some coffee and find a quiet place in the Central Park, watching people and do nothing."

"Can we make a little detour to Borders? I'd like to buy some books."

"Sure. Probably New York is the last place on earth you should waste your time with a book in a park…"

"Reading a book is never a waste of time. We can go into the Central Park zoo. This time we have a combination of sightseeing and quiet time. I'm sure they'll have delicious ice cream there."

"Do I deserve ice cream already?"

"Can't see why not."

"I haven't done any exercise yet."

"We'll walk to the zoo, that will be two miles."

"That's enough for you?"

"Yes." Sara stroke some hair out of Sofia's face. "You saved my life yesterday."

"Maybe. There's no evidence the bullets would have hit you." It was likely because there were a lot of bullets around the area they sat, so much Sofia had seen before they left. If Sara had been sitting on her stool without being hit it could have been considered as a little wonder.

"I don't need to have a bullet in my chest to know it was close. You got me down, saved me. Covered me with your own body, put yourself at risk."

"That's my job."

"You weren't on the job at that time."

"I'm always on duty, especially when it comes to taking care of my favorite CSI. Can't let anything happen to you, Sara."

"I'm very thankful you were there."

"See it as a payback, we're even now." Sofia smiled.

"Are we?"

"Yes. The Albarez case? The gave me your vest, saved my life. The bullets were fatal, only your vest kept me alive. So we're even."

"Okay." Sara smiled.

"Now why don't you get your shower while I wait, get my shower after you and then we'll go to the zoo, have some unhealthy breakfast, too much coffee and read some non-work related things."

"That's the first time you don't try to take a shower with me." Sara chuckled.

"Is it? Do you want me to come with you?"

"What would you do if I say yes?"

"I'd see you naked. Again."

"Why would I want you with me in the shower?"

"Because I can reach your back better than you can. And I can give you a massage. With the hot water it will be perfect."

"You're trying very hard to make me say yes."

"I don't want any complains I didn't try it."

"One day I'll say yes only to see how you turn red, start to stutter and try to get your out of that. It will be my pleasure to see you struggling and fighting to keep your face and balance, Smuggy."

"I can't wait for that day and prove you wrong. And now get out of the bed and get your shower. You stink!"

"You're so charming." Sara kissed Sofia's forehead and got up.

* * *

Sofia had bought a dozen donuts, a big box of coffee and one gossip magazine. Sara on the other hand thought there was no need that she bought donuts and coffee and bought four books instead. She loved the huge variety in the big Borders shop.

The third donut on the way to her mouth, Sofia had linked her left leg with Sara's legs when she closed her magazine.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"It's…something personal…personal for you."

"You're the only person who's allowed to ask me personal questions. What is it?"

"You can stop this conversation whenever you want, just say you don't want to talk about it anymore, okay?"

"Okay." Sara closed her book. This seemed to be something bigger, something she couldn't answer between two lines.

"I read this article about a woman who found a sister she didn't know of when she was fifty. You told me about your family, do you have any contacts with your siblings? Foster siblings?"

"No." Sara answered carefully.

"Want me to stop talking about that?"

"Where do you want to go with it?"

"I wondered if you ever think of them, wonder what they do. If I had siblings I'd like to know what they do, where they are."

"They are not siblings, they are foster siblings. They are not family."

"Is family for you blood and DNA?"

"No." Sara took Sofia's hand. "You are family and we don't share the same DNA."

"Want my DNA?"

"How would you like to give me your DNA?" Sara laughed.

"We can share a cup of coffee, a donut or a passionately kiss."

"I'm fine with coffee and donuts."

"Do you offer me a kiss?"

"A passionately kiss."

"Okay." Sofia grinned. She had warned Sara she would take the offer when she got it. "Come here, baby, give me your soft lips."

"You're really crazy enough to take the offer."

"Are you pulling your offer back, Sara? Are you scared?"

"No, I'm sensible."

"Does that mean there won't be a kiss for me?"

"Not this time."

"Shame." Sofia bit in her donut.

"I was never close to my foster siblings." Sara came back to their topic. "I lost contact when I went to Harvard. It was a new life for me and I didn't want to be reminded of my past so I cut all strings."

"They were fine with that?"

"Yes."

"They never tried to contact you? If I would lose you I'd try everything to get you back in my life."

Sara smiled, turned herself so she laid on her back and pulled Sofia in her arms. "Yes you would. I wouldn't have let us lose contact, Sofia."

"I'm a pit bull I won't let you go."

"Honey, I've got you in my arms, I pulled you in my arms, does that look to you like want to be separated from you?"

"No."

"Good. The difference between you and my foster siblings is that I love you."

"Sara, you're amazing." Sofia pulled Sara's to hers and kissed Sara. "Nobody else makes a declaration of love like you do. You say it in a tone like you'd order some French fries or a salad but that doesn't mean you're not serious. I've never met somebody like you."

"Is that good or bad?" Sara smiled.

"It's bad for me and good for you. I love you."

"Is your question answered?"

"Yeah I think so. What would you do if you meet him? Her? Them?"

"I doubt I'd recognize them. If I would I don't know. Hope you're around and get me through the talk?"

"You need me for that?"

"I always need you. Especially in situations that are complicated for me. Meeting foster siblings would be very complicated and I'd need you after the meeting."

"If they give you nightmares I'd chase them away. I won't let anything come close to you that isn't good for you."

"You protect your CSI."

"As good as I can."

"You're doing a great job. No matter what threatens me, bullets, nightmares or calories, you make sure they won't hurt me." Sara got a little bit of the sugar icing, that was stuck in Sofia's corner of the mouth and held in front of the blonde's mouth.

"Thanks." Sofia bit the icing off only with her lips.

"Can't let somebody come along and kiss it away."

"Jealous?"

"Yes."

"Cute." Sofia smiled. "And the first time you said you're jealous."

"You know how I mean it."

"I do." Sofia got out of Sara's arms. "Any ideas what I can write on my mom's postcard?"

"Tell her about the shooting, she's a captain, she'll love cop stories."

"Are you crazy? She finds out I dove instead of answering the fire she'll kick my ass."

"You saved your CSI and you had no gun."

"I let at least two shooters run."

"That's more important than saving your CSI?"

"For some in the police department it is, for me, my CSI is above everything."

"I might have the advantage that I'm your friend too."

"That gives you the advantage that if I have to choose between you and anybody else I'd always safe you but nevertheless I prefer to dive and keep a CSI safe than let somebody shoot a CSI and answer the fire."

"You were a CSI you have a soft spot for them now."

"You can blame it on that, yes. How did I get my soft spot for you?"

"You like challenges."

"True" Sofia cocked her head. "Can't imagine a better challenge than you."

"Try not to stare at a guy for a day." Sara giggled when Sofia's eyes were more than obvious following the two young men who were jogging only a few yards away from them. Of course young and well trained men got the attention of the lieutenant.

"Impossible. You need to know what a challenge is and what's impossible."

"It's amazing that somebody who is interested in so many guys is still single."

"It never works out."

"Maybe you should stop running after this magazine guys and try to connect with a guy that doesn't look like 'Mister Cover' but has a brain and wants to stay with one woman. Your nice guys know they look good, they know women want them and most of them see no reason why they not take all women they can get."

"I could swear I don't look that bad and I don't jump every guy I see when I'm in a relationship."

"You look fantastic, Sofia. There are good looking guys that are trustful but most of them prefer to have all the women they can have. You don't eat the same dish every day."

"I need an ugly loser to be happy?"

"You need somebody smart, with a big heart, who loves you because of you and not because of your long legs and your blonde hair."

"No more looking after half naked bodybuilders? I'm not sure if that's still a challenge or already impossible."

"Probably impossible for you." Sara grinned. She doubted Sofia could stop behaving like a teenager when it came to men, the blonde enjoyed too much to observe every good looking man and she was very tempted to flirt with them. Maybe Sofia wasn't ready to settle down, like most of the men she wanted.


	6. Chapter 6

"Flack is on his way to here." Sofia closed her cell phone.

"To here? We don't have to go downtown?" That was a nice surprise. The police was coming to them in the Central Park instead of asking them to come downtown. Sara didn't feel like being in the subway, fighting for a tiny space in the wagons and pushing her way through millions of people on the sidewalks.

"No, I think he wants to have some sunshine too. Maybe he brings some more donuts."

"Sofia, you ate nine donuts, you should feel sick."

"No but I'm on a sugar rush and I love it. We should do this more often."

"Nine donuts in four hours is more than enough. I should send you running around the Central Park three times to lose all these calories you have eaten."

"I start to work out again when we're back in Vegas. We're on holidays, you don't work out when you're on holidays."

"You eat a lot of sweets and cakes."

"Yes, that's the spirit. We'll get some ice cream on our way back."

"I think I'm fine with sweets for today."

"I'm not. You can put me on one of your salad diets for a week when we're back."

"I don't have salad diets."

"Eating a whole week nothing else than salad in combination with other vegetables and fruits is a diet for me. It's all healthy, it must be a diet. I join you on this next week and get all the calories I've put on this week, away. Why is keeping in shape much more difficult than putting on some weight? Why did God put all the vitamins in vegetables and fruits and the calories in chocolate, donuts and ice cream? That's not fair, why does he punish us so much? I mean after what happened to Adam and Eve it should be the other way around. Eve ate an apple and started the trouble. So fruits should be the bad stuff and chocolate the good, holy food that will keep your body, mind and spirit healthy. Something got serious wrong in the past."

Sara looked at Sofia in a mixture of disbelieve and amusement. Her friend was amazing. She had stories and comparisons nobody else would ever come up with. Because of Eve and the snake an apple should be bad? She doubted anybody else ever thought something like that.

"What?"

"You just amaze me, Sofia. And I'll get some salad for you too." Sara doubted Sofia kept her company in her salad week for longer than two days. Latest the third day the blonde would add a steak to her salad and a piece of chocolate as dessert.

"Thanks. Hey look there's Flack."

"In company."

"A witness? I doubt she's a suspect, he won't walk around with a suspect."

"Why would he walk around with a witness?"

"Sometimes you have a walk with them, makes them talk more. Or she's a rat and he gets some news on the shooting. You never know, we police people are full of secrets, that's a part of our attraction."

"Like being arrogant?"

"Self-assure."

"Call it whatever you want at the end it's the same."

"Don't be bitchy again."

"Call it whatever you want at the end it's the same."

"Bitchy."

"Being right."

"Sure. Hi Flack."

"Lieutenant Curtis, Miss Sidle, that's detective Angel. I hope we don't destroy your holiday day."

"Only if you plan to send us somewhere else." Sara answered.

"No we don't.

"Did you find the shooter?" Sofia asked.

"We know who they are but we don't have them in custody. I'm sorry to tell you that had to get through that because of me."

"Because of you?"

"Yes lieutenant, these bullets were meant to kill me. I arrested the son of a drug dealer a couple of days ago and he wanted me to know he doesn't like it and wants war. We have him in custody, his lawyer will get him out within the next twelve hours."

"That means you'll live dangerous."

"Yes. Even if we find the men who shot, there'll be more men willing to kill for the right amount of money. I think you know that problem."

"I haven't pissed somebody off enough to get a bounty hunter on me."

"Not the best thing to do."

"So detective Angel is your bodyguard?"

"Yes." Angel answered before Flack could say something. "Against his will."

"Walking around in Central Park is very insensible. There are too many places a shooter could wait for you and when he gets you, there are million ways to escape."

"Thanks lieutenant, that was exactly what I told him."

"Men don't listen to women. Not when the women are right." Sara smiled.

"Are you three working against me?"

"Looks like." Sofia smiled. "We all agree on you should be somewhere safe and not here. Everybody can shoot you and run away, the Central Park is perfect for that."

"I can't hide, I'm a detective. I need to be out on the streets. We need to get these people and the world is safe for everybody."

"You're making things too easy, Flack."

"You're making things too difficult, Angel."

"Isn't it nice, they're arguing like we do sometimes." Sara grinned.

"Yeah, I wonder who takes your part and is always wrong."

"And who takes your part and is always smug."

"You mean always right."

"No I meant smug, Smuggy."

"You fight like an old couple." Flack said dryly.

"You take back the old." Sofia demanded. "Show some respect for a lieutenant. Old. I'm not old, I'm still in my thirties."

"As close to the thirty as I'm to a million dollar." Sara mumbled and got the evil eyes. The truth was Sofia was close to forty, very close to forty, no matter how much the blonde denied this fact.

* * *

"Where are we going to?" Sara asked the third time. Sofia had told her two hours ago to get dressed up. The blonde herself put on a tight vanilla colored dress she had bought on her shopping trip in the afternoon. Now they were in a taxi.

"You'll see when we get there."

"Why don't you tell me?"

"Because if I tell you it's not a surprise anymore."

"A musical? A hot Broadway Show? Is that's why we dressed up? The theatre? An expensive and famous restaurant? Tell me why I had to dress up like this?" Sara wore a dress that had the same brown color like her eyes.

"You'll see."

"What if I don't like the place? I don't want to spend my last evening in New York in a place I don't like. Plus I want to be on the Empire State Building tonight. Wherever you plan to get me, you better make a stop there before it's closed. I insist on it."

"A sunrise there can be nice too I read somewhere."

"I want to see the city with all it's lights from the roof. Am I clear, Miss Curtis?" Sara stabbed her index finger in Sofia's shoulder.

"Ouch, yes."

"Good."

Sofia bit her lips to stop herself from saying something. Their taxi was on it's way to the Empire State Building, having a lot of other interesting buildings around, Sara had no idea where they were going to exactly. Only when the taxi stopped in front of the tall building a smile on Sara's face appeared.

"We've a stopover here before we go to wherever?"

"You really thought I'd make you leave New York without being here, Meg?"

"I don't know, Tom." Sara grinned. Yes, one of her favorite movies and she would be on top of the Empire State Building. Not looking for her Mister Right, like Meg Ryan had done it, but she'd love the view.

Sofia paid the taxi driver and got them to the elevators. Of course their tickets were ready in the blonde's hands and after the security check they could enter the elevator fast. Instead of going to the platform to have a look around Sofia pushed Sara out of the elevator at level hundred.

"What are you doing? We're not at to the platform."

"Sara, do you think I asked you to get dress nice for a stop on the observatory?"

"No, for a musical or theater after it…Broadway for New York …not?" Slowly Sara realized there was no Broadway show planed.

"What did you plan?"

"Dinner. Dinner in the Empire State Building."

"Are you kidding me?"

"No. I booked us a table at the new restaurant in level hundred. I thought, your biggest wish was to have dinner here and I didn't want to offer you a snack or fast food so I got us a table there. At the window, of course. After that we can finish the evening a little bit higher, level 102. Only if you can be happy with this plan. If you prefer to see a Broadway show we can…"

"If you don't shut up immediately I'll make you shut up." Sara hugged Sofia and kissed her cheek.

"Tell me how you'll make me shut up and I'll make a decision if I want to shut up."

"I love you, Sofia."

"Even when we go to a fancy restaurant?"

"We'll have dinner in the Empire State Building. In the newest and hottest restaurant. One condition, lieutenant."

"Sounds official, what's the matter, investigator?"

"You let me pay half the bill. This table must have cost you a fortune."

"I invite you…"

"Sofia, I won't go there if you don't agree."

"First of all I don't like it when somebody tries to blackmail me. Second if we don't go I've to pay for the table anyway. Third, I want to take you there, that's my date for you. You let me pay and can think of something to make up to me."

"You'll lose your money and won't get dinner. Pity." Sara crossed her arms. She wasn't willing to give in on this. There was an article in a newspaper about this new restaurant, she knew how much Sofia had to pay to get a table, she knew this reservation didn't included dinner and drinks. Sofia would let them share the bill, otherwise Sara wasn't going to the restaurant, no matter if she missed out a great chance.

"Don't be stubborn."

"Ditto."

"Sara, it's…why don't let me do this? It was my idea, I want to invite you. Don't let us lose the table."

"You can go there alone if you don't want to lose the table."

"I prefer the dirtiest snack bar in the world with you than a fancy restaurant in the Empire State Building without you."

Sara took Sofia's hand and pulled her away from the entrance of the restaurant. There was no need to go on with their discussion there.

"Sofia, please."

"It doesn't feel like I really surprise you when you pay for your dinner."

"What about if you pay for my dinner and I pay for your dinner?"

"What kind of date is that?"

"A modern one." Sara laughed.

"No chance to change your mind?"

"Not if you want me to be a little bit happy."

"You should be happy all the time when we're together." Sofia teased softly.

"I am."

"Good. You look gorgeous, I am hungry, let's get inside. I pay your food, you pay mine."

"Thanks." Sara leant forward and kissed Sofia's cheek again.

"You're welcome. But to make up for this you need more than a kiss on my cheek, Honey."

"Do I?" Sara grinned, pulled Sofia in her arms, hugged her and kissed her short on her lips. "I'll make up for it later."

"If I'd be a guy I'd be so full of wrong impressions."

"You would be so disappointed. It's the blonde who has to make up with sex, the brunette can make up with something else."

"Like what?"

"Triple chocolate muffins for breakfast a whole week or something like this."

"Better than most sex." Sofia sighed.

"You get vanilla sauce with it."

"I love you, Sara."

"Good to know." Sara smirked and linked her arm with Sofia's. Together they walked to the restaurant and waited until a waiter came to greet them.

"We've a reservation for tonight under the name Sidle." Sofia smiled.

"Very well. Please follow me." He turned and guided them to a small table on a window. From here they had a perfect view on the Rockefeller Center.

"Do the ladies know what they'd like to drink or shall I bring you a card?"

"Two glasses of champagne?" Sara looked at Sofia who nodded.

"Thank you." The blonde leant back and enjoyed for a few seconds the view out of the window. Exactly the table she had asked for. Perfect.

"Why did you order the table under my name?"

"In case you had the idea to book a table. I'd have offered you to call, they had told me there's no table available. If I had booked it under my name, called with my name, they would have confirmed the booking and my surprise was ruined."

"I could have called myself."

"Yeah but I figured you're less suspicious when they tell you somebody with your name has already booked a table than somebody with my name. You have no confirmation number, you can't be the one who booked it. I'm guilty of playing you and I hope you can forgive me one day."

"Forgiven and forgotten." Sara smiled. "You're amazing."

"I try to make you happy."

"You succeeded. It's really a shame you're not a man."

"Why?"

"This is the perfect place and the perfect opportunity to pop the question."

"You can ask me to marry you, Sara."

"It's not legal here, so we can't call a priest to wed us. It wouldn't be perfect this way and I want my wedding perfect."

"Don't complain I didn't offer you." Sofia chuckled.

The waiter brought them their champagne and the menu.

"For the price of a meal here I can buy my groceries for a whole week." Sara gasped. She knew the prices, seeing them for real in front of her, made it very real.

"Same here. I'm not that hungry anyway after all these donuts. I think I'll go for the garden salad with chicken and fresh bread."

"I'll take the same and give you my chicken."

"Aren't we lovely? Sara, what's wrong?" Sofia could see in Sara's face something had happened.

"You won't like it." The brunette said slowly.

"What?"

"Promise you won't yell and won't make a scene."

"Why should I?"

"Promise. Now."

"I promise. What did…"

"Lieutenant Curtis."

Sofia didn't need to turn to recognize this voice. Immediately she knew why Sara had asked her not to make a scene.

"Keane." She looked up. The young millionaire stood in a gray suit next to their table.

"Miss Sidle."

"Mister Keane, what a coincidence." Sara's right foot met Sofia's leg under the table. She hoped having the physically contact kept the blonde more relaxed.

"Over a dozen million people in this town and we have to meet." Sofia grumbled. "What are you doing here?"

"This is my restaurant, lieutenant."

"Is it?"

"Yes."

"In that case I think we should leave."

"Wouldn't that be ridiculous, lieutenant?"

"Bite me."

"I'd love to try a bite of you, but I'm afraid you'd arrest me for assaulting a lieutenant."

"Sara, I know you wanted to have dinner on the Empire State Building. Could you consider to have our dinner somewhere else? Somewhere without unwanted company."

"No need to run away, lieutenant. Why are you this unfriendly? Did I do anything to you?"

"I won't give you a chance for that."

"There's a young woman waiting for Mister Keane, I'm sure he'll have dinner at his own table with his company. He doesn't have any time for you, Sofia." Sara said calmly.

"Yeah, go back to your new bimbo, Keane."

"One word from you, lieutenant and I'll have dinner with you."

"Me?" Sofia threw a look over her shoulder and saw the young brunette woman, obviously waiting for Keane. She guessed her of early twenties.

"I think men who need women half their age are a poor show. Can't get anybody with a brain, Keane? You still need to get this cheap girls, early twenty, who have no idea about life and how to use their head? It's really a pity that you can't stop that. You know, I was even attracted by your arrogant and smug way, it suits you. But these women are such a poor show, they show you've no dignity and you're not capable of having a real relationship. You to go your dumb brunette dish of the week or month, I've the most beautiful and best company in the whole world. Your trophy might be good for your ego and gives you credit with your macho friends, my woman is a few classes higher than yours. I stay here."

"Miss Sidle is a trophy for you?"

"Yes. Sitting here with her, knowing she's my friend is the best evidence that I did and do something right. Her friendship proves I'm not such a bad person. She wouldn't be here if I would be like you. So yeah, she's a trophy, she proves I'm a good person. What does your woman prove? You're rich? You've got influence? You're taking everything with a tuned body? In my world that are not the best attributes but I think we're living in two different words and should stay in them. So you go back to your world and leave in mine alone."

"Do you really think that bad of me, Sofia?"

"It's still lieutenant Curtis for you."

"I've never met such a stubborn woman like you."

"And no matter what you'll try, I'll never change my mind. No matter how many roses you send or how expensive your gifts are."

"You gave them all away." There was no anger in his voice.

"Yes."

"I liked what you did with the jewelry, selling it and giving the money to the breast cancer foundation."

"You are free to do the same."

"You never thought I might have done that."

"Actually I don't care. Now would you mind to leave us alone?"

"Would you mind to let me settle the account for you?"

"Yes."

"I thought so. You don't want me to be nice, do you, Lieutenant?"

"I don't like it when somebody tries to bribe me."

"I didn't know you're working on a case against me."

"I don't."

"How can I bribe you then? Nobody will believe I bought you as a rat with a dinner."

"No, nobody will because you won't pay. And if I've to give the waiter the money as a tip at the end."

"Miss Sidle what is your position in this?"

"I'm always with Sofia."

"Even if she says two and two is three?"

"I'm always with Sofia."

"You would tell her later she was wrong."

"What I tell Sofia later is none of your business, Keane. If you want to settle the bill for us, I don't care. Sofia doesn't want it, that makes it clear to me I won't accept your offer. The most important thing in friendship is trust, I know I can trust Sofia every time with my life and she knows the same about me. Means, I won't do anything she doesn't like. She would never ask me for something I don't want, don't like. I can only recommend to you, Keane, to try a relationship like this. It's unique and priceless."

"So is the lieutenant."

"As a lieutenant, as a person, as a friend." Sara took Sofia's hands in hers and smiled.

"Unfortunately she won't give me the chance to find that out myself."

"When you stop hitting on her and don't change your girlfriends more often than the average man changes his underwear you might get a chance."

"I haven't met a woman as special as the lieutenant."

"There is no woman as special as her. Nobody will ever come close to her."

"We're even." Sofia smiled and stroke her hand over Sara's upper hand. "I can't imagine to have this dinner with anybody else than you."

"Ditto."

"I doubt any man will ever come between you two."

"The right men won't want us to make a decision between them and the other. Mister Right will be happy that we have such a great best friend. If he can't handle our friendship he isn't Mister Right." Sara smiled.


	7. Chapter 7

"The lights go on." Sara looked out of the window. With every minute she could see more and more windows in bright light.

"Do you want us to leave and go upstairs?" As guests of the restaurant they'd get the upper observatory admission free.

"Only if they want us to leave. I like it here." It was cozy, candles were everywhere, jazz and standard music was playing in the background.

"When they ask us to leave we simply order something new."

"Like what?"

"Like…one of these sundaes. Would you like to share one with me? Sitting next to me, very close, I feed you with ice cream, have my arm around you…"

"Are you flirting, lieutenant?"

"Yes."

"Is it the candle light or more the music?"

"Your foot on mine. You never broke contact, Sara. Are you flirting?"

"Flirting with my foot? It's more a kind of being attached to you. I like to have contact to you. I'd never flirt with you…do you want to sit next to me?"

"No, you'd never flirt." Sofia laughed, got up and moved her chair so that she was sitting almost next to Sara.

"Our last night in New York." Sara stroke Sofia's hand with a finger while her eyes moved back to the city in front of her.

"Will you miss it?"

"Somebody almost killed me."

"You ended in my arms, you were never in danger, I was with you the whole time."

"I was never scared. When I heard the shots I was already on the ground, safely under you. I was scared something did happen to you, I never worried about myself."

"And all I worried about was you. I think we fit perfectly together."

"Yes. Everybody wants to make sure the other one is alright, we don't care what is with us as long as the other is fine."

"We do." Sofia sighed happily.

"Excuse me, your sundae, ladies." The waiter had a huge sundae on his tray. Sofia saw ice cream, sauce, cookies, fruits, everything you could ask for on a sundae.

"We didn't order one."

"Mister Keane asked if you would take it even when he pays for it."

"We do." Sara smiled. "Please tell Mister Keane we thank him for it."

"Very well."

Sara dove her spoon in the ice cream, got a lot cream and a cherry on it. "Open up!" She demanded. "And don't you dream of bitching around because he paid for it. You want this sundae and so do I. Eat, woman."

Sofia opened her mouth and ate the ice cream.

"I didn't say a word."

"You wanted to send the waiter away. Not with me, Sofia. He wants to show you want a great guy he is? If he wants to do so with a sundae on a perfect night like this, he can do that. That's not a bribe, that's kind. And if you don't want it, I'll eat it all by myself."

"I ate the first spoon."

"You better eat the third one too."

"The third? What's about the second?"

"That's mine." Sara gave Sofia the spoon. "Your turn, lieutenant."

"You want me to feed you?"

"Spoon by spoon. We'll share our dessert."

"Why did he send only one?"

"Because if you had told the waiter to get lost, they had wasted two sundaes and not only one. And one is enough I like feeding you, it's like being on a date in the Empire State Building. Almost my 'Sleepless in Seattle'. Not on top but you look much better than Tom."

"Thanks. You look better than Meg."

"How can I look better than a blonde?"

"You do that without any make up, Sara."

"Stop flirting, give ice cream."

"I could pour it on my body and you are free to get it from there."

"Honey, with this hot body of yours ice cream is nothing more than a boiling sauce within a second. I'd burn my tongue on it and your body." Sara cocked a brow.

"True." Sofia giggled. "I like that."

"I like you."

"No, you love me."

"True. Want to go up to the observatory after the sundae? Taking pictures, snuggling and then go back to the apartment to finish this night with a glass of wine?"

"Sounds wonderful to me, Sara Sunshine. I'll get the waiter and order the check."

"And I get my money…we need to work some overtime for this night." First they had to get their bosses to pay them for the overtime. That was much harder than working long hours.

"It was worth a week of overtimes; especially when we work cases together."

"That's like holidays…only less dangerous."

"And without you in my bed after work."

"When you ask very kind I might join you occasionally." Sara smirked. Not that she not ended up very often in Sofia's bed or her couch while they were working. She couldn't remember the last time she had slept for a week alone in her apartment. That must have been before Sofia and she became such good friends. In another life, a life that wasn't as good as this life was.

* * *

"Where have you been?" When Sofia came out of the bathroom after her short shower Sara was gone. The brunette hadn't mentioned that she wanted to go anywhere.

"Just down the streets, I needed something for the evening." Sara lifted a little bag.

"What can you need? I'm here, that's all you need."

"I prefer my wine with cheese and cracker, Smuggy."

"Shall I leave? So that you, cheese, cracker and wine are alone?"

"I bought cheese and cracker for two, what does that tell you?"

"You've a date."

"Yes, with you. Get the wine, I prepare the cheese."

"Couch or balcony?"

"It's fresh outside…when we wrap ourselves in a blanket we can sit outside, I'd like to see the lights of the city." The apartment was in the middle of a fifty stories building, it wasn't a view like from the Empire State Building but it was alright. And they could get some of the night flair of New York.

"Tell me why do we meet Keane all the time?" Sofia wondered when they sat on the balcony.

"It's his restaurant, he knows many people in Vegas and he has a soft spot for you. He is exactly the man you're looking for if he could keep his pants on. There's a certain tension between you and him but it will never be more or serious because you won't give in. You want to be the one and not one in a million."

"Am I your one?"

"My one and only."

"That's why I sit here with you." Sofia laid her head on Sara's shoulder. "You know we have to come back to here. There are so many things we haven't seen…Corny Island…"

"The Yankees."

"Grand Central Station."

"More of the Central Park."

"Metropolitan Museum Of Art."

"You want to go to a museum?" Sara asked surprised. Wasn't Sofia the one who always complained that her dad had forced her too much into history that she tried to avoid everything with history now?

"It's suppose to be very good and with you a little bit of history can't be bad. And we need to spend some more time around Times Square and visit a Broadway show."

"Madison Square Garden."

"We definitely have to come back. Want to come back to New York with me, Miss Sidle?"

"Absolutely, Miss Curtis. Back to New York, a trip to Canada, beach holidays in Mexico, there are lot of places I want to see with you."

"Europe."

"Oh yes, I could spend months with you in Europe. You ever thought of going to Europe and work there? England, Scotland or Ireland?"

"No, not really. Shall I start to think about that? Because if you go there, the chances that I'll follow you are high. I don't want to be in Vegas without you."

"Looks like you like me, Lieutenant."

"I do, investigator. No matter if you like it or not."

"I do like it." Sara pulled Sofia closer in her arms. "You know, I'm glad Keane can't stay with one woman."

"Why?"

"Because if he could you would be his woman of choice and I had less time with you. He'd take you around the world, to parties with important and famous people and you wouldn't be my lieutenant anymore."

"If he would be my man of choice I'd make him take you with us. There's no way I'd travel the world without you. You belong into my life, Sara, no matter what man is in my life. I'll never make a decision for a man and against you. What we have is something that is for forever, what a man gives me might be for forever but it will never be worth to give up on us."

"Sounds like you want to be with me."

"I do. You won't get me out of your life, not even if you get a millionaire in my life."

"Not afraid I might steal him away?"

"No. You're a true friend and they don't do things like that." Sofia kissed Sara's cheek. Their friendship was for both more important than a man could ever be. No matter if they had relationships, there had never been a man made it between them.

THE END


End file.
